Improvement in upper-jaw checks for horses



J. A. SHERMAN. Upper-Jaw Check for Horses.v

' 211555.v Patented ml is, 1879.

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NJEIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JACOB A. SHERMAN, OF FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN UPPER-JAW CHECKS FOR HORSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,555, dated July 15, 1879; application filed May 19, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J A0013 A. SHERMAN,

of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Upper-J aw Checks for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

Checks have been made for the upper jaws of horses; but they are liable to strain and injure the mouth, or else the upper-jaw bit is drawn up to position by a separate strap and buckle, and remains in a fixed position relatively to the upper jaw.

The object of this invention is to draw the bit up against the roof of the mouth, and hold the same in that position without risk of interfering with the animal breathing freely, and this check allows the neck and head to be stretched forward; but the check draws the nose of the horse slightly upward, and keeps the same in. the best position for speed and grace'in traveling.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view representing the check in position, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the rein and bit.

The rein a is a strap passing over the horses head, the back end being attached adjustably to the pommel or other convenient part of the trappings. The strap a is divided into the two check reins or stra ps'b b, that pass down over the horses head, and divide at the ornament c, and pass down at the sides of the head, and through the rings (1 of the bit 6; and said straps b are connected to the nose-pad f, that crosses over the nose, and is suspended by the strap 9 from the ornament o.

If the ends of the straps b are buckled to the no se;pad f, the straps b can be sewed to the ornament 0; but the appearance of the check is improved by placing the buckles 7c of the straps b near the top of the horses head, and in that case the ornament 0 should be made of two thicknesses, with pockets or mortises'through it for the straps b to be threaded after they have been passed through therin gs of the bit, and the stops at 0 upon the straps I) serve to hold up the ornament c, and prevent it slipping down upon the said straps b.

It will now be understood that' when the check-rein is loose the bit 6 remains in the horses mouth in an ordinary position; but when the rein a is tightened the pad f, resting on the nose, is drawn slightly upwardly, and at the same time the straps I) pull the bit up against the roof of the horses mouth, and the tension tends to lift the horses nose; but the strap passing over the head does not interfere with the horse in stretching the neck and head forward in the ordinary position in running. The bit of this upper-jaw check, being movable on the straps, can be entered into or withdrawn fronr'the horses mouth without unbucklin g the straps, as heretofore necessary with upper-jaw bits.

The nose-pad requires to be kept sufficiently high up not to rest upon the nostrils. This is effected by the strap g.

If the horse becomes unruly, the undue extension of the nose causes the check to become self-acting, and draw the bit against the roof of the mouth and the nose-strap tightly across the nose, rendering the animal more manageable. This bit may be also the driving-bit, as the reins may be buckled into the rings, or it may be a second bit in the horses mouth.

1am awarethat in Letters PatentNo. 152,518 an upper-jaw check is shown; but there is nothing to prevent the same sliding downwardly and the nose-strap confining the nostrils. This is the case if the animals head is suddenly drawn back or the driving rein is slackened, because the check-rein that passes over the head is connected with the driving-rein.

My check is independent of thedriving-rein, and the strap 9 prevents the nose-strap falling over the nostrils.

-I claim as my invention The upper-jaw check for horses, composed of the rein a, straps b, passing through the rings d of the bit, the nose strap or pad f, and the strap g, by which the nose-padis suspended, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 17th day of May, 1879.

J. A. SHERMAN.

Witnesses:

OHAs. E. SMITH, WILLIAM G. MoTT. 

